Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-05-26
K [ N 6
Solomon 5 Mines,

"Look, o king. look, Gagool, Look,
chiefs and people and women, and see if the
white men from the stars keep their words
Or if they be but empty liars. The sul
grows dark before yoar eyes; soon there
will be night-ay, night in the n0nn-time.
Ye have asked for sign; it is given to We.
Grow dark O SIN! with iraw tiny light, thou
bright one; bring the proud heart to dust
and eat up the world with shadows"
A groan Of terror rose from the Onlookers
Some stood petrifed with fear, others threw
themselves upon their knees, and cried out
As for the king, he sat still and turned pale
beneath his dusky skin. Only GagOol KEEP
her courage.
at will pass" she cried; Il have seen the
like before; no man can put out the sun
lose 10 heart; sit stilI-the shadow shall
pass"
'Wait, and We shall see," 1 replied hop
ping with excitement.
keep it up, Good, L can't remember any
more poetry. Curse away, there's a good
fellow"
Good responded nobly to the tax upon his
inventive faculties. Never before had | the
fantest conception of the breadth and depth
and height of naval officers objurgatory
powers. For ten minutes he went on with
out stopping, and he scarcely ever repeated
himself.
Meanwhile the dark ring crept on. Strange
md unhOly shadows encrOached upon the
sunlight, an ominous quiet filled the place,
the birds chirped out frightened notes, and
then were still; only the cocks began to
crow.
On, yet on, crept the ring of darkness; ii
{IN
orb. The air grew thick and dusky. On,
yet on, till we could scarcely see the fierce
faces of the group before us. No sound rose
now from the spectators, and Good stopped
swearing.
'"The sun is dying-the wizards have killed
the sum-" yelled out the boy Scragga at last.
'We shall die in the dark" and animated by
fear or fury, or both, he lifted his spear, and
drove it with all his force at Sir Henry's
broad chest. But he had forgotten the mail
shirts that the king had given us, and which
we wore beneath our clothing. The steel
reDOunded harmless, and before he could re-
peat the blow Sir Henry had snatcheG the
spear from his hand, and sent it straight
through him. He dropped dead.
At the sight, and driven mad with fear at
the gathering gloom, the companies of girls
broke up in wild confusion, and ran Screech-
ing for the gateways. Nor did the panic
stop there. The king himself, followed by
the guards, some of the chiefs, and Gagool,
who hobbied away after them with marvel
Gus alacrty, fled for the huts, so that in an
other minute or SO ourselves, the would-be
victim, Foulata, InfadoOs, and some Of the
chiefs, who had interviewed us on the pre-
vious night, were left alone upon the scene
with the dead body of Scragga.
''Now, chiefs" l said, ''we have given
you the sign. ye are satisfied, let us fly
miftly to the place We spoke of. The charm
cannot now be stopped. 1t will work for an
hour. Let us take advantage of the dark
ness
Come" said IEfadoos, turning to go an
example which was followed by the awed
chiefs, ourselves, ana the girl FouIata, whom
Good took by the hand.
Before we reached the gate of the kraal
the sun went out altogether.
Holding each other by the hand we stumb-
led OH through the darkness.